Rotary brush scooper device

ABSTRACT

A rotary brush scooper device for scooping, sweeping and picking up loose material from a ground surface includes a base housing which includes an interconnected pair of wheels, drive assembly, and rotary brush member, as well as a lower shelf, a receptacle area, and handle portion. Positioned under the brush member, in front of the receptacle area, the lower shelf extends below the base housing such that it is adjacent to a ground surface over which the rotary brush scooper device is rolling and operative to lift loose material present off the ground surface as it passes thereover. Through action of the drive assembly, the rotation of the wheels as the rotary brush scooper device is rolled along the ground surface in a forward direction causes the brush member to be rotated in a sweeping direction, thereby sweeping loose material on the lower shelf into the receptacle area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to rotary brush sweepers and, more particularly, to a sweeping device having a wheel driven rotary brush that scoops debris into a receptacle.

Description of the Prior Art

The use and design of conventional sweeping devices to pick up materials or debris from a ground surface is well known. One such design of conventional sweeping devices is a rotary brush sweeper which employs a rotating brush mounted perpendicular to a target surface such that its bristles operate to sweep across the target surface. A problem which still exists, however, is that because many of such sweeping devices operate with their bristles directly contacting the target surface, substantial resistance is incurred as the brush rotated. This resistance increases the amount of mechanical force which needs to be applied to the brush in order to continue to rotate it. Thus, there remains a need for a rotary brush scooper device that includes a lower shelf positioned such that the bristles of an incorporated rotary brush sweep across it as the device passes along a target surface. It would be helpful if the lower shelf of such a rotary brush scooper device included a plurality of teeth such so as to more easily pass along various surfaces. It would be additionally desirable for such a rotary brush scooper device to include a drive assembly which transferred the rotation of its wheels to the brush, thereby enabling automatic operation of the brush whenever the device was moved.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a rotary brush scooper device adapted to both scoop and sweep debris and other materials off of a target surface. The primary components in Applicant's rotary brush scooper device are a base housing with lower shelf, wheels, drive assembly and a brush. When in operation, the rotary brush scooper device enables more effective and efficient cleaning of a surface, requiring much less mechanical force to rotate its brush over the surface. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A rotary brush scooper device for scooping, sweeping and picking up loose material from a ground surface. The rotary brush scooper device comprises a base housing which includes an interconnected pair of wheels, drive assembly, and rotary brush member, as well as a lower shelf, a receptacle area, and handle portion. The lower shelf is positioned under the brush member and in front of the receptacle area, extending below the base housing such that it is adjacent to a ground surface over which the rotary brush scooper device is rolling and operative to lift debris or other loose material present off the ground surface as it passes thereover. Through action of the drive assembly, the rotation of the wheels as the rotary brush scooper device is rolled along the ground surface in a forward direction causes the brush member to be rotated in a sweeping direction, thereby sweeping loose material on the lower shelf into the receptacle area.

It is an object of this invention to provide a rotary brush scooper device that includes a lower shelf positioned such that the bristles of an incorporated rotary brush sweep across it as the device passes along a target surface.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rotary brush scooper device with a lower shelf that includes a plurality of teeth such so as to more easily pass along various surfaces.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a rotary brush scooper device which includes a drive assembly which transferred the rotation of its wheels to the brush, thereby enabling automatic operation of the brush whenever the device was moved.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a lower shelf of a rotary brush scooper device built in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particular FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, a rotary brush scooper device 10 is shown having a base housing 11, a pair of wheels 12, a drive assembly and a brush member 13. The base housing 11 defines the structural frame of the rotary brush scooper device 10 and includes a lower shelf 14 and a receptacle area 15. The wheels 12 are attached to opposing sides of the base housing 11, connected by an axle 16 which extends through the base housing 11. In this regard, the wheels 12 and axle 16 configure the base housing 11 to roll along a ground surface.

The lower shelf 14 is attached to the base housing 11 in front of the receptacle area 15, extending below the base housing 11 such that it would be adjacent to a ground surface over which the base housing 11 is rolling and operative to lift debris or other loose material present off the ground surface as it passes over it. In this regard, the lower shelf 14 is configured to scoop loose material off of a target surface.

In the preferred embodiment, the lower shelf 14 includes a plurality of teeth 14 a to improve its ability to sift through a ground surface which is not smooth (such as grass).

The brush member 13 defines a rotary brush which, in the preferred embodiment, includes four discrete rows of bristles 13 a. The brush member 13 is attached to the base housing 11, positioned over the lower shelf 14 such that its bristles 13 a sweep across lower shelf 14 towards the receptacle area 15 as the brush member 13 is rotated. In this regard, the brush member 13 is configured to sweep loose material on the lower shelf 14 into the receptacle area 15.

Integrated with the base housing 11 and connecting the wheels 12 and axle 16 on one hand, and the brush member 13 on the other hand, is the drive assembly. The drive assembly is defined by an axle sprocket 17 that is fixed to the axle 16, a brush sprocket 18 that is fixed to the brush member 13 and a chain 19 which connects the axle sprocket 17 and brush sprocket 18 such that rotating either sprocket 17, 18 drives the chain 19 to cause the other sprocket 17, 18 to rotate in the same direction.

Through the drive assembly, when the wheels 12 are rotated as the rotary brush scooper device 10 is rolled along a ground surface in a forward direction 20, the brush member 13 is rotated in a sweeping direction 21. Specifically, the rotation of the wheels 12 causes the axle 16 and axle sprocket 17 to be rotated, causing the chain to rotate the brush sprocket 18, which in turn rotates the brush member 13.

In the illustrated embodiment, the base housing 11 includes a handle portion 22 attached thereto to allow the rotary brush scooper device 10 to either be grasped and pulled manually or attached to some device which will pull it.

In the preferred embodiment, the drive assembly includes a transparent chain guard cover 23 to prevent debris or other items from interfering with the operation of the chain 19 and sprockets 17, 18.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A rotary brush scooper device, comprising: a base housing defining a frame and including a lower shelf and a receptacle area, wherein said lower shelf extends below the frame of the base housing and is operative to lift loose material present off a target surface as the base housing traverses over the target surface; at least one wheel integral with said base housing so as to enable the base housing to roll along a target surface; a rotary brush member integral with said base housing and configured to rotate over the lower shelf and sweep loose material on the lower shelf into the receptacle area; and a drive assembly operative to transfer rotation from the at least one wheel to the brush member.
 2. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein said lower shelf includes a plurality of teeth.
 3. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein brush member includes four discrete rows of bristles.
 4. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein said base housing additionally includes a handle portion which adapts the rotary brush scooper device to either be grasped and pulled manually or attached to a discrete device which will pull it.
 5. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 1, wherein two wheels are integral with said base housing, positioned on opposing sides thereof.
 6. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 5, additionally comprising an axle which extends through the base housing and connects said wheels.
 7. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 6, wherein said drive assembly includes an axle sprocket that is fixed to the axle, a brush sprocket that is fixed to the brush member, and a chain which connects the axle sprocket and brush sprocket such that rotating the axle sprocket drives the chain to cause the brush sprocket to rotate in the same direction.
 8. The rotary brush scooper device of claim 6, wherein the drive assembly includes a chain guard cover operative to enclose at least a portion of the chain, axle sprocket, and brush sprocket. 